The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-2, have scored only 28 points, and are heading into a much tougher test in Buffalo on Sunday. Justin Herbert pushed back firmly this week against questions about whether the team lacks vocal leadership as the early-season mistakes pile up.
Herbert said the Chargers’ locker room has leaders and that panic will not solve their problems. He said the club is close to turning things around, but must correct its errors and focus on the next snap.
Quick facts
- Los Angeles has opened the season with two losses.
- The Chargers have taken 15 accepted penalties for 109 yards.
- They have surrendered the ball five times through two games.
- The offense has produced 28 total points under new coordinator Mike McDaniel.
- Los Angeles visits the unbeaten Buffalo Bills in Week 3.
The Chargers have hurt themselves in nearly every phase. Penalties, turnovers, dropped passes, coverage breakdowns and poor execution have all contributed to losses against the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders.
One costly Week 2 sequence came when tight end David Njoku could not secure a Herbert pass, sending the ball to Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses for an interception. Herbert has also forced throws at times, with turnovers changing the course of otherwise winnable games.
Asked whether the new offense has been difficult to absorb, Herbert said NFL systems demand preparation and attention to detail. He said the responsibility falls on the players to study, know their assignments and be ready to execute.
The results have fallen well below the standard Jim Harbaugh has sought to establish since taking over in Los Angeles in 2024. Arizona arrived at SoFi Stadium as an underdog in Week 1 and controlled the game, while Las Vegas also took advantage of the Chargers’ lack of discipline and busted coverages.
Herbert said improvement starts with the team playing to its own standard, learning from the first two weeks and carrying out the coaching staff’s plan. The next opportunity comes against a Bills team that has started the season hot, with Los Angeles needing a cleaner performance to avoid an 0-3 hole.
